Research firms have been hit with phablet euphoria, but it's unclear whether the masses — beyond tech nerds, business travelers and bookworms — are going to go for large-screen smartphones including the iPhone 6. Pockets aren't keeping up with screen sizes.

Australians are more in favour of the iPhone than Android smartphones, according to new research released by Google, which has also found that one in every two Australians now owns some type of smartphone.

In 2011, Samsung became the world's largest manufacturer of smartphones, when it overtook both Apple and Nokia, according to US-based research company HIS iSuppli. However, the success of Apple's iPhone 4S enabled Apple to outsell Samsung in the year's final quarter.

Recent numbers from IDC showed that Samsung was the king of the smartphone market in the third quarter of the year, but Apple's iPhone 4S brought Apple back up to top spot at the end of October through to November, according to research by Worldpanel ComTech Australia.

While some analysts are predicating a fall for Apple with increased competition for iPhone and iPad in the current quarter, Bullish Cross Research said Friday that Apple will deliver "mother of all earnings blowouts."

Whether you were impressed by the iPhone 4S, or were disappointed that it doesn't have a 5 in its name, there's no question that it will continue the disruption of telcos' mobile data business models. But with research suggesting that running a mobile network could become unprofitable within three years, can carriers change their ways before the iPhone and its ilk chew up our airwaves like locusts buzzing the plains?